Not Applicable
This invention relates to apparatus and methods for ventilating mines and other tunnels. In particular, the invention relates to a telescopic ventline and its use.
Underground mines and other tunnel projects hang ventilation duct (ventline) to convey fresh air to areas that are being excavated. Ventline typically ranges in diameter from twelve to sixty inches. A large fan or blower located in fresh air is connected to the ventline and pushes or pulls fresh air through the ventline. Ventline is typically fabricated from either metal or glass-reinforced plastic (fiberglass). Fiberglass ventline is lighter and more resistant to denting and other damage. Ventline is commonly shipped and installed in ten- or twenty-foot sections. As a tunnel advances, the ventline must be advanced as well.
When a mine purchases ventline from a manufacturer, the mine is required to pay shipping costs to the mine site, which can be located a great distance from the manufacturer. Because ventline is large in diameter, only a limited amount can be loaded onto a semi trailer. This means that many truckloads of ventline have to be hauled to provide the mine with an adequate supply. This results in a high shipping cost per section of ventline.
Once the ventline is on site, it must be hauled underground on low-profile delivery trucks or by rail, often to the most remote areas of the mine. Because a tunnel is a confined area, delivery trucks and rail cars are limited in the amount of ventline they can carry. This means that many trips are required to a supply mine headings with ventline.
Each conventionally-mined heading can advance as much as thirty linear feet a day. A tunnel boring machine (TBM) can advance over one hundred linear feet per day. This means that a lot of ventline is required to keep pace.
The background art is characterized by U.S. Pat. Nos. 183,315; 228,883; 613,229; 667,149; 721,985; 1,045,400; 1,889,711; 1,948,909; 2,810,591; 3,872,894; 4,223,702; 4,357,860; 4,543,677; 6,003,814; and 6,131,960; the disclosure of which patents are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
Mainer in U.S. Pat. No. 183,315 discloses a stove pipe joint. This invention is limited in that it requires that a pipe end have studs in one pipe section that fit into slots in another pipe section.
Freeman in U.S. Pat. No. 228,883 discloses a stove pipe. This invention is limited in that it requires that a projection on a tongue fit into one of a plurality of slots in another pipe section.
Becker in U.S. Pat. No. 613,229 discloses a stove pipe coupling. This invention is limited in that it requires that a hook with a bowed shank be used to hold sections of stove pipe together.
Kenney in U.S. Pat. No. 667,149 discloses an apparatus for withdrawing smoke from a burning building. This invention is limited in that no means are provided for establishing a seal between the telescoping sections of the draft tube of the invention.
Wells in U.S. Pat. No. 721,985 discloses a detachable hose coupling. This invention is limited in that incorporation of a substantially U-shaped bail into the coupling is required.
Hayden in U.S. Pat. No. 1,045,400 discloses a stove pipe joint. This invention is limited in that a locking device having a cam and a handle is required.
Talley et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 1,889,711 disclose an extension joint for stove pipes. This invention is limited in that strips having a plurality of tongues are required.
Evans in U.S. Pat. No. 1,948,909 discloses a flexible ventilation tubing. This invention is limited in that a tapered flexible sleeve is required to streamline the airflow in the tubing over the projection of the coupling that holds sections of the tubing together.
Jacoby in U.S. Pat. No. 2,810,591 discloses a quick coupler for sections of irrigation pipe. This invention is limited in that a pivoted latch interlock is required.
Streit in U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,894 discloses a light weight cable housing. This invention is limited in that a complex labyrinth seal is required.
Cook in U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,702 discloses a drain line for recreational vehicles. This invention is limited in that a flexible hose must extend through telescoping rigid wall drain pipe sections.
Krzak in U.S. Pat. No. 4,357,860 discloses a telescoping conduit for pressurized air. This invention is limited in that a roller cage and a wiper seal are required in addition to an O-ring seal.
Haglund et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,677 disclose an airtight telescoping rigid conduit. This invention is limited in that three ring-shaped bearings and a seal ring having a V-shaped cross section are required.
Pike et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,814 disclose a double-walled duct assembly. This invention is limited in that double-walled construction and flow-facilitating members are required.
McHughs in U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,960 discloses a packing seal expansion joint comprising first and second tube sections. This invention is limited in that packing material disposed between the tube sections is required.
The purpose of the invention is to provide a cost-effective solution to the problem of ventilating mines and other tunnel projects. One advantage of the invention is that the effective length of a ventline assembly is doubled or tripled, resulting in lower shipping cost per linear foot of ventline. Both the cost of delivering the ventline to the mine site and the cost of delivering it to the mine heading are significantly reduced. Another advantage of the invention is that less time is required to install each foot of ventline. Currently, a worker typically uses a utility truck to lift each section of conventional ventline to the back (roof) of the tunnel and hang it. He then drives back to an underground storage area to retrieve another section of ventline. When a worker installs a ten-foot section of conventional ventline, he gains ten feet of advance. When the invention is used, twenty or thirty feet of advance is achieved for each ten-foot length of telescopic ventline assembly installed. Each time a section of telescopic ventline is pulled ahead, it must be chained up, but the worker saves time by loading, hauling and hoisting fewer individual sections when telescopic ventline is used.
The invention is an apparatus and method for ventilating tunnels and other confined spaces. The apparatus comprises a telescopic ventline assembly as disclosed herein. The telescopic ventline of the present invention comprises a plurality of tubes wherein each inner tube or first intermediate tube is slidably disposed within a second intermediate tube or an outer tube, in a telescoping-type arrangement. The methods comprise installing the the telescopic ventline and using it to ventilate a tunnel or other confined space, e.g., a mine.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for venting a confined space comprising: an outer tube with a first end upon which a first pair of connectors (e.g., transport connectors) is mounted on the exterior thereof and upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which is belled (e.g., belled out) and upon which a second pair of connectors (e.g., installation connectors) is mounted; and an inner tube with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus which is belled (e.g., belled out) and upon which a third pair of connectors (e.g., hooking connectors) is mounted on the outside thereof; wherein said inner tube is slidably mounted within said outer tube. In another preferred embodiment, the apparatus further comprises: an intermediate tube with a first ending upon which an interior stop is provided on the interior thereof and a second ending upon which exterior stop is provided on the exterior thereof; wherein the intermediate tube is slidably mounted between the inner tube and the outer tube.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the belled out end of the outer tube of a first ventline assembly is configured to fit over the belled out terminus of the inner tube of a second ventline assembly. Preferably, an elastomeric molding or gasket is fastened to the outside stop. In a preferred embodiment, the tubes are fabricated from glass reinforced plastic (fiberglass) and the stops are attached to said tubes by any conventional technique, e.g., by gluing the stops onto the tubes, by riveting the stops onto the tubes or by molding the stops into the tubes.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a system for venting a tunnel comprising: a fan or blower for producing an airflow; a conduit for said airflow extending from the fan or blower into or out of the tunnel; and a plurality of ventline assemblies connected together and at one end connected to the conduit for carrying the airflow into or out of the tunnel; wherein each ventline assembly comprises an embodiment of the apparatus disclosed herein. Preferably, the system further comprises: one or more elbow components connected to at least one of said ventline assemblies and/or one or more tee components connected to at least one of said ventline assemblies.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for venting a confined space comprising: an outer tube with a first end upon which a first plurality of connectors is mounted on the exterior thereof and upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which is necked down and upon which a second plurality of connectors is mounted; and an inner tube with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus upon which a third plurality of connectors is mounted on the outside thereof; wherein said inner tube is slidably mounted within said outer tube.
Yet another preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for venting a confined space comprising: a first ventline assembly comprising a first outer tube with a first end upon which a first plurality of connectors is mounted on the exterior thereof and upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which is belled and upon which a second plurality of connectors are mounted, and a first inner tube with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus which is belled and upon which a third plurality of connectors are mounted on the outside thereof, wherein said first inner tube is slidably mounted within said first outer tube; and a second ventline assembly comprising a second outer tube with another first end upon which another first plurality of connectors is mounted on the exterior thereof and upon which another inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and another second end which is belled and upon which another second plurality of connectors are mounted, and a second inner tube with another first terminus upon which another outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and another second terminus which is belled and upon which a third plurality of connectors are mounted on the outside thereof, wherein said second inner tube is slidably mounted within said second outer tube; wherein the first end of the second ventline is configured to mate with the second terminus of the first ventline.
Another preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for venting a confined space comprising a ventline assembly comprising: an outer tube having a first inside diameter with a first end upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which has a second inside diameter upon which a first connector is mounted; an intermediate tube with a first ending upon which an interior stop is provided on the interior thereof and a second ending upon which exterior stop is provided on the exterior thereof; an inner tube having a first outside diameter with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus which has a second outside diameter that is less than the second inside diameter and upon which a second connector is mounted on the outside thereof; wherein the inner tube is slidably mounted within the intermediate tube, the intermediate tube is slidably mounted between the inner tube and the outer tube and within the outer tube. Preferably, at least one gasket is attached to said outer tube and said inside stop is mounted on said outer tube at a greater distance from said first end than said at least one gasket is attached to said outer tube. Preferably, said outside stop comprises of a slotted ring that retains an O-ring that essentially fills the annual space between said inner tube and said outer tube.
Yet another preferred embodiment of the invention is an apparatus for venting a confined space comprising: an outer tube having a first inside diameter with a first end upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which has a second inside diameter and upon which a first connector is mounted; and an inner tube having a first outside diameter with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus which has a second outside diameter and upon which a second connector is mounted on the outside thereof; wherein said inner tube is slidably mounted within said outer tube and said second inside diameter is greater than said second outside diameter. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises: an intermediate tube with a first ending upon which an interior stop is provided on the interior thereof and a second ending upon which exterior stop is provided on the exterior thereof; wherein the intermediate tube is slidably mounted between the inner tube and the outer tube. Preferably, the second end of the outer tube of a first ventline assembly is configured to mate with the second terminus of the inner tube of a second ventline assembly. Preferably, at least one gasket is attached to said outer tube said inside stop is mounted on said outer tube at a greater distance from said first end than said at least one gasket is attached to said outer tube. Preferably, said outside stop comprises of a slotted ring that retains an O-ring that essentially fills the annual space between said inner tube and said outer tube.
In a further preferred embodiment, the invention is a method of extending a ventilation system in a tunnel, the method comprising: providing a ventilation system, the ventilation system including a first ventline assembly comprising an outer tube with a first end upon which a pair of transport D-rings is mounted on the exterior thereof and upon which an inside stop is provided on the inside thereof and a second end which is belled (out or in) and upon which a pair of installation D-rings are mounted and an inner tube with a first terminus upon which an outside stop is provided on the outside thereof and a second terminus which is belled (in or out) and upon which a pair of straps with hooks are mounted on the outside thereof; connecting the belled end of the outer tube of the first ventline assembly to a source of fresh air and attaching the outer tube of the first ventline assembly to a structural support in the tunnel; releasing the hooks on the outside of the inner tube of the first ventline assembly from the transport D-rings on the first end of the outer tube of the first ventline assembly; telescoping said first ventline assembly until the interior stop on the inside of the outer tube of the first ventline assembly and the exterior stop on the outside of the inner tube of the first ventline assembly abut or do not abut; and attaching the inner tube of the first ventline assembly to a structural support in the tunnel. In preferred embodiments, it is not necessary to telescope the tubes until the stops abut because the tubes are provided with a seal that blocks the annual space between the tubes along their entire lengths. This embodiment provides for flexibility when different lengths of ducting are needed, e.g., adjacent to corners or tees in the ducting.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the above method further comprises: connecting the belled (out or in) end of the outer tube of a second ventline assembly that is configured generally the same as (similar to) the first ventline assembly to the belled (in or out) terminus of the inner tube of the first ventline assembly (e.g., by means of the installation D-rings and straps with hooks) and attaching the outer tube of the second ventline assembly to a structural support in the tunnel (e.g., with a chain); releasing the hooks on the inner tube of the second assembly from the transport D-rings on the first end of said outer tube of the second ventline assembly; telescoping the second ventline assembly until the interior stop on the inside of the outer tube of the second ventline assembly and the exterior stop on the outside of the inner tube of the second ventline assembly abut or do not abut; and attaching the inner tube of the second ventline assembly to a structural support in the tunnel (e.g., with a chain).
In another preferred embodiment, the invention is a method of ventilating a tunnel or confined space, the method comprising installing an apparatus or system described herein in a tunnel or other confined space and using an apparatus or system described herein to deliver fresh air to a location in a tunnel or other confined space.
The invention may be used in the development and production areas of underground mines as well as in service tunnels and tunnel boring machine projects. Any operation that uses ventilation duct to supply fresh air to work areas would realize cost and labor savings with the shipping and handling of telescopic ventline rather than conventional ventline.
Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the drawings and the ensuing description of preferred embodiments of the invention. A person skilled in the art will realize that other embodiments of the invention are possible and that the details of the invention can be modified in a number of respects, all without departing from the inventive concept. Thus, the following drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.